Stories for December 21st 2012

A rash of looting and ransacking of supermarkets in Argentine major cities and several provinces left two people killed, dozens injured and hundreds arrested. The looting and vandalizing of supermarkets began in the Patagonian resort of Bariloche on Thursday and seemingly triggered a knock-on effect across different provinces, as similar incidents began to arise in Buenos Aires, Santa Fe, Entre Ríos and Chaco provinces.

British Prime Minister David Cameron delivers his Christmas message to the people of the Falkland Islands: 2012 has been a memorable year for all of us. It’s been a year of happy celebrations but a year of more sober commemorations too. In London and Stanley, we celebrated the Diamond Jubilee, marking the 60th year of Her Majesty the Queen’s reign. The genuine and deep affection for Her Majesty both here and in the Falklands reminded us of the ties that bind us together.

For the first time a government official in Venezuela has raised the possibility that Hugo Chavez's January 10 inauguration could be delayed as the president struggles to recover from his latest cancer surgery in Cuba.

Brazil's central bank in its latest quarterly inflation report published Thursday, pointed to a modest decline in consumer inflation next year but largely underscoring expectations that its interest rate will remain stable.

The Argentine government is deploying four hundred border guards to the Patagonian resort of Bariloche following violent looting in several local supermarkets and other businesses on Wednesday. Cabinet Chief Juan Manuel Abal Medina made the announcement on national television.